Troubleshoot Guide

How to Fix Starfield Error Code 0xc0000142

by Subodh Gupta

Updated on

Starfield Error Code 0xc0000142 is preventing many PC version players from getting into the game via Steam. If we look at the screen’s error message, it says “Starfield.exe – Application Error. The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142). Click OK to close the application.” As you can understand, the Starfield application crashes while launching. Now, if you’re also one of the victims to encounter such an error, then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide to fix it.

Though Bethesda has done a tremendous job with Starfield and the first universe by the franchise in over 25 years, we’re expecting that more & more role-playing titles will come out shortly based on the space and galaxy themes. But somehow, the Early Access of Starfield didn’t go smoothly like the fans expected. Though the overall gameplay and visuals are stunning, some unexpected bugs and errors are ruining the gaming experience for the players.

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How to Fix Starfield Error Code 0xc0000142

How to Fix Starfield Error Code 0xc0000142

To be precise, this specific error prevents the Starfield game from launching. It crashes quite often on the PC immediately after hitting the Play button. Unlike the common crashing issue, the 0xc0000142 error in Starfield fails to run or initialize properly due to some other system elements. It seems that there are multiple possible reasons applicable to such an error. Most probably, an outdated game patch version, corrupted or missing game files, an outdated graphics driver, etc., can be a reason.

In addition, some reports claim that an outdated Windows version or conflicts with the Microsoft Visual C++ dependencies can trigger error code 0x0000142. Whereas DirectX issues, Microsoft .NET framework issues, lack of admin access, conflicts with the startup programs, game compatibility issues with the system, antivirus blocking, game installation errors, and more can also cause startup crashes on the PC.

Fortunately, a couple of workarounds mentioned below should come in handy. Make sure to follow all methods individually until the problem has been fixed. So, without further ado, let’s jump into it.

1. Restart the PC

It’s highly recommended to close and exit the Steam client on the PC first. Then, make sure to restart the PC to clear any kind of temporary system glitch or cache data issue. Some of the PC gamers found this trick helpful. So, you can also try it once.

2. Run Steam and Starfield as an Administrator

Well, you should always run the Steam application and even the Starfield.exe application as an administrator on Windows to grant the user account control permissions. It’ll avoid several crashes or in-game issues with the system admin privileges.

  • Right-click on the Steam application on your PC.
  • Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

  • Now, click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to enable it.
  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

Once done, do the same steps for the Starfield.exe application by following the steps below.

  • Right-click on the Starfield.exe application from the installed directory.
  • Click on Properties > Go to the Compatibility tab.
  • Then select the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to enable it.
  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

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3. Update the Starfield Game

An outdated game version can eventually trigger multiple issues with the game launching on the PC. Make sure to check for the pending game updates manually to avoid glitches or bugs in most scenarios.

  • Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
  • Click on Starfield from the left pane.
  • Steam will automatically search for the available update.
  • If there is an update available, click on the Update button.
  • Now, wait for the update to complete.
  • Once done, restart the PC to apply the changes.

4. Verify and Repair the Game Files

Sometimes conflicts with the corrupted or missing game files installed on the PC might trouble you a lot when it comes to smoother game launching. So, make sure to perform the repair process of the game files by following the steps below.

  • Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.
  • Right-click on Starfield from the list.
  • Click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

  • Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
  • Wait for the repair process to complete and then restart the PC.

5. Update the Graphics Driver

You can try updating the graphics driver on your PC by following the steps below to ensure that there is no issue with the outdated or missing graphics driver. If your PC does have an outdated GPU driver then make sure to update it.

  • Right-click on the Start Menu on the Taskbar.
  • Click on Device Manager from the list.
  • Double-click on the Display Adapters option to expand the list.
  • Next, right-click on the graphics card.

  • Select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
  • If there is an update available for the GPU driver, it’ll automatically download & install the update.
  • Let the process be completed > Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.

If there is no update available for your GPU card then you can go to the official graphics card website from the links below and search for the model of your graphics manually. Make sure to download and install the latest graphics driver version for your specific graphics card model depending on the manufacturer.

6. Install DirectX

Another thing you’ll need to do is simply run the latest DirectX installer application on your PC by following the steps below. Sometimes an outdated or missing application can trouble the game-launching experience. To do so:

7. Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

  • Visit the official Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables webpage.
  • Download the latest installer file and then run it to install the VCRedist X64 application.
  • Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes.

8. Disable Conflicting Startup Programs

Sometimes the background running startup programs can also consume a lot of system resources like CPU, GPU, Memory, and even Data Bandwidth without notifying you. It eventually causes the lack of enough system resources to run the heavy AAA titles as a first priority. So, it’s better to manually disable all the third-party conflicting startup applications by following the steps below.

  • Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
  • Click on Task Manager > Go to the Startup tab.
  • Click on the particular task that has a higher startup impact.
  • Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
  • Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
  • Finally, restart your PC to apply changes.

9. Install Microsoft .NET Framework

You should also install the Microsoft .NET Framework program on the Windows PC to ensure there is no issue with the Microsoft dependencies. Do keep in mind that the .NET Framework is a Windows-only version of .NET for building client and server applications.

  • Just visit the official Microsoft .NET Framework webpage.
  • Then download the latest .NET Framework installer.
  • Now, run the installer, and completely install the program.

10. Disable Antivirus Protection

You should also disable the Windows Antivirus program manually on the PC by following the steps below to prevent game application blocking issues. Some of the antivirus programs can aggressively block ongoing files and Windows Defender antivirus is one of them.

  • Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
  • Now, click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
  • Click on the Open Windows Security button.
  • Go to Virus & Threat Protection > Click on Manage Settings.
  • Just Turn Off the Real-time protection option.
  • If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.

Note: If you’re using any of the third-party antivirus software then you should also turn off the real-time protection feature from it.

11. Run Starfield in Windows Compatibility Mode

It looks like the Starfield game isn’t capable enough to run on the Windows 10 or 11 version on your machine. You should try running the compatibility mode on your PC by following the steps below for the older Windows versions.

  • Open the Steam client > Click on Library.
  • Locate and right-click on the Starfield game.
  • Select Properties > Go to the Local Files tab.
  • Click on Browse Local Files to open the installed game folder.
  • Now, right-click on the Starfield.exe application.
  • Choose Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
  • Click on the Run this program in compatibility mode for checkbox to enable it.
  • Select Windows 7 or Windows 8 from the drop-down menu.
  • Then click on Apply and OK to save changes.
  • Finally, you can reboot the PC to apply changes.

12. Perform a Clean Boot

Some of the apps and their services may start automatically while booting the system right away. In that case, those apps or services will definitely use a lot of system resources which basically reduces the system’s performance. If you’re also feeling the same, make sure to perform a clean boot on your computer to check for the issue. To do that:

  • Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialogue box.
  • Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
  • Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

  • Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
  • Finally, close the window, and restart the system to apply effects.

13. Change the Windows Registry Value

Multiple reports claim that tweaking the Windows registry value can be a solution to fix the Starfield 0xc0000142 error. To do so:

  • Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialogue box.
  • Type regedit and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows.
  • Search and double-click on LoadAppInit_DLLs.
  • Now, change its value to 0 (zero) then press OK.
  • Restart your PC to apply changes and run Starfield to check for the 0xc0000142 error.

14. Turn Off Windows Firewall

Try temporarily disabling the Windows Firewall program on your PC to ensure there is no issue with the ongoing connections.

  • Open the Start Menu > Search and open Windows Defender Firewall.
  • Select Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
  • From the Customize Settings page, select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option in all the Public, Domain, and Private Networks.

  • Click on OK to save changes.
  • Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.

15. Disable Overlay Applications

It seems that a couple of popular applications do have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:

Disable Discord Overlay:

  • Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
  • Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
  • Click on the Games tab > Select Starfield.
  • Finally, Turn Off the Enable in-game overlay option.
  • Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

  • Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
  • Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar.
  • Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar option.

Disable Game Mode:

  • Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
  • Click on Gaming > Go to Game Mode.
  • Turn Off the toggle.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

  • Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
  • Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
  • Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.

Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, keyboard & mouse customization software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background.

16. Update Windows

If you’re running an outdated Windows version or build number for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for the same. Always try to install the latest update of the system so that you can get the latest security patch, improved performance, bug fixes, additional features, and more.

  • Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
  • Click on Windows Update > Click on Check for updates.Windows Update Windows 11
  • If there is an update available, click on Download and Install.
  • Wait for the update process to be completed.
  • Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.

17. Reinstall the Starfield Game

If none of the methods worked for you, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the Starfield game on your PC to check whether the specific error 0xc0000142 is appearing due to the game installation issue or not. Some affected players did find this method useful. So, you should try it out.

  • Launch the Steam client on your computer.
  • Now, go to Library > Right-click on Starfield.
  • Head over to Manage > Select Uninstall.
  • If prompted, click Uninstall again.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
  • Once done, simply restart the PC to apply changes.
  • Finally, launch Steam, and reinstall Starfield on a different drive using the same Steam account.
  • You’re done. Enjoy!

That’s it, guys. We hope this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.

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